A quick look at the 1903 City Directory shows that Willimantic had at least twenty-two saloons.  An insurance map from the same year shows nine saloons on Main Street between Bridge and Jackson Streets.  There was even a “Ladies Dining Saloon” on Main Street.  Willimantic’s saloons in the first decade of 1910 were very much like those across America. They were that day’s version of today’s social networking and were oftentimes one of the first places where Willimantic’s immigrant laborers of French-Canadian, Irish or Polish descent could gather with others of the same nationality in order to socialize. Willimantic’s saloon keepers represented those same nationalities. Sylvie Cardinal’s Saloon was a center of French-Canadian social life for more than ten years and was so well-known that it’s particular location was known as “Cardinal Square”. Mayor Oscar O. Tanner owned several saloons. Businessman Dennis  Shea was the city’s prominent Irish saloon keeper.  Historian Tom Beardsley said that Willimantic, “was a hotbed for the temperance movement because of its many taverns and saloons”. At one point, Methodist pastor Willard Nuzum told his parishioners that he had been “personally investigating” the city’s saloons and that they were, “the dirtiest, meanest and most contemptible holes I ever saw”. He said that the only good things he fould in the saloons were the bartenders. The Rev. Mr. Nuzum also pointed out that there were no women in the saloons and that sixty percent of the men in the saloons were “foreigners”. Nuzum said,  “the proprietors were nearly all foreigners...yet (who) acted as gentlemen toward him and they knew who he was”.  A newspaper article in 1906, in bold headlines proclaimed, “ ’Bucket of Blood’ Goes By the Board – Willimantic Den of Wickedness to be Closed”. It also said,” ‘Fiery Rum Gut’ has been sold there for years – fine block may be erected on the site”. The “Bucket of Blood” saloon had long been notorious.  In 1904, Police Captain Edgar Richmond had been approached at the police station with a complaint against the bartender at the Bucket of Blood. One of the men had a face, “which resembled a recently massaged piece of steak”.  That man said that the bartender had battered his face and thrown him out of the saloon. Police went to the bar to investigate and determined that a fracas had occurred there and placed the bartender under arrest for assault. It was said that some of the worst fights in the city had occurred in that saloon, that liquor bottles were oftentimes used as weapons and that the saloon was often covered with blood and from those fights that it acquired its name. In 1906, William Asher purchased the building and, since he was opposed to the sale of liquor, he forced the saloon to close. The building was one of the first to be built on the south side of Main Street and had started out as a market prior to it becoming a saloon. In November of 1906, it was felt that the location would be an ideal one for a large business block.  In May, 1911, the building was occupied by a barber shop. That month, it was purchased by the building committee of the Y.M.C.A. William Asher sold it for $7,500 but allowed a $1,000 off as a donation.  In March, 1912, the city firm Latham & Crane was awarded the $33,000 contract for the building. It was dedicated in February, 1913. 840 Main Street had been transformed from a trouble spot and an eyesore to one of Willimantic’s finest new buildings. The local WCTU must have been mightily pleased. Today’s photo shows the Melony Block on the far left. Next to it is the Bucket of Blood saloon (the building with “Station” visible on the wall). For questions or comments about this  week’s photo or article, please e-mail us at “threadcity@outlook.com”.